Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel. – Isaiah 7: 14
Beautiful Beloveds,
Lately, I have been noticing the way small things and ordinary moments hold a reminder of the Divine in my life and world, signs if you will. One verse of scripture, one line of poetry, a single sentence in an email, one breath can hold a gift of grace, a moment of clarity, a glimpse of beauty. Lunch with my children each day has been such a treat, a time to connect with them. The need before me is clear, concrete and I can meet it. I don’t have the vaccine or the cure for COVID-19, but I can make a sandwich for my kids, just the way they like it. It resets my day, each day, to love and be loved, to feed and be fed. In this holy season of waiting, I need to be reminded in the sacred and the ordinary, Immanuel, God is with us. I pray for you ordinary moments that become holy signs as God’s gifts of hope, love, joy and peace shine through.
With hope and peace,
Heather
Christmas Eve Worship will be offered in our parking lot, 5pm December 24. Please register here or email, text, or call me directly 774.994.3645 . All will remain in their cars for a brief worship, where we’ll hear the Christmas Story, and of course, Silent Night. Then at 7pm we’ll premiere our worship on Facebook, with more carols and the very same Christmas Story.
As United Methodists we promise to support the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. Here are some ways you can live into those promises, this week:
Prayers
Please pray for all who are homeless, as the weather grows colder, and COVID-19 precautions make it even more difficult to offer the support our homeless siblings need this time of year, and all year long.
Please submit prayer requests here or contact Pastor Heather directly , pastorheather@umcchurches.org and 774.994.3645.
Presence
| CALENDAR | ||
| Virtual | In Person | |
| Wednesday, December 9,
Noon—Deadline for Saturday Tidings Submissions |
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| Thursday, December 10 | ||
| 10 am Bible Study via Zoom
canceled this week so Pastor Heather can attend a funeral |
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| Friday, December 11 | ||
| Saturday, December 12 | ||
| Sunday, December 13 | ||
| 8:30 am Worship Premiere on Facebook | ||
| 11am Worshipful Engagement continues at the church (Register here. You can now register for the whole month.) | ||
Gifts
Thank you to all who have donated towards Safe Harbor and CHAMP House through our BIC cards. What welcome Christmas gifts they will receive? Kathy Sandell
Looking for a safe way to Christmas shop. Calendars and Note cards make great gifts and they are available at Shop UMCO right now. Just submit your order and we will let you know when to pick it up. Christmas cards are also available.
Service and Witness
Decorate the Mitten Tree: Add beauty to the church grounds in this holy season and a gift of warmth for our neighbors. Stop by and decorate the blue spruce at the church with mittens and gloves, for men, women, and children. After Christmas they will be delivered to those that need them.